Boo. Hoo.
Seriously, I couldn't give a damn about the cratering economy in Phoenix, Atlanta, or the umpteen other municipalities in the US that are now going back to dirt roads. I didn't hear any of this sympathy in the mid-90s coming out of Americans like yourself, or ******** like the Count, when the NHL ripped beloved community institutions out of Winnipeg and Quebec City because of issues with the economy and the dollar up here. All I heard back then was that the NHL had outgrown Canada and needed to move south for the greater good of the game, blah, blah, blah.
That was a "whole missed my point" rant. I was simply trying to make the point that it all doesn't have to do with hockey, that quite perhaps interest in hockey has grown in most of these markets, but that with the economic turn down we're just not seeing it. I'm not sure it's as simple as saying that there's little interest in hockey, in a place like Atlanta for instance, but that perhaps many sports fans feel, at least, that they have fewer 'sports dollars' to go around. And a city like Atlanta has a lot of sports competition.
There's no "excuse" in that, the end result is still the same, but perhaps the impression of why it's so isn't exactly correct.
Fair enough, thanks for mostly answering my question. You also need to understand that the reason why many Canadians are talking about relocation of sunbelt teams is that when Winnipeg/QC were moved, we were told it was for the "betterment" of the league to "grow the game" substantially, essentially being told we were useless markets. That was and still is a slap in the face to many, including myself. And I still resent that, and will NEVER forget that. So yes, I am taking great satisfaction watching the sunbelt experiment collapse, and the potential move of Phoenix back to Winnipeg. I would love to see that happen; oh the irony of it all!
There was a part of that which I wanted to make an additional response to...
You asked earlier if I were more bothered by the threat of Atlanta and Phoenix losing their NHL teams than I was about Winnipeg and Quebec City losing theirs. Well, if I answered that completely honestly, I'd have to say that my degree of bother was mixed. Certainly I didn't want for the Jets or Nordiques to be relocated, but I'm not really that 'nationalistic' on the issue. I mean, it's my general perspective that if relocations have to happen because it's the best practical solution, then so be it, unfortunately. And I think that Winnipeg and Quebec City had their issues back then, just as Phoenix and Atlanta have their issues now, though obviously very different issues.
Personal preferences...
- If Phoenix ultimately has to lose the Coyotes, sooner or later, I'd prefer that the team went back to Winnipeg (sort of an NFL Raiders scenario).
- As for Atlanta, there is no even remotely appealing relocation option. If Atlanta loses another NHL team, we might as well wipe Atlanta from the map with respect to the NHL because there won't be a 3rd try for a hell of a long time. Atlanta is a major city to lose near premanently.
- As for Winnipeg and Quebec City, I have no real preference other than I hope both do get an NHL team again.
As to the second half of this response, I don't see any reason why I should have to choose sides. I wasn't happy that Winnipeg, Quebec City, and Hartford lost their NHL teams, and I was happy that cities like Raleigh, Atlanta, Denver, San Jose, Nashville, Dallas, and Phoenix got NHL teams, regardless of how it came about.
I better clarify that last comment... Not pleased that in the case of Denver, Dallas, Hartford, and Phoenix that it was at the expense of other cities losing their teams, but pleased that those cities did get teams.
And I'll be pleased when Winnipeg and Quebec City get teams again.
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